Electronic Toys

Although many of the best cat toys require manual manipulation, the number of hands-off, electronic options are rapidly increasing. These toys allow you the option of either interacting directly with your cat or letting him play on his own. An solution ideal if you spend a lot of time out of the house. Another great benefit of this type of toy is that it offers a good deal of variety. They often come with varying modes, as well as numerous attachments to suit different play styles.

Food and Puzzle Toys

If your fuzzy little buddy is both smart and treat-motivated, these of toys are a great way to get their minds and bodies moving. In their most basic form, you simply pop in some treats and place the toy on the floor. When your cat smells his favorite comestible, he will quickly realize that in order to get to it, he will needs to interact with it. Puzzle toys tend to be a little more intricate, often requiring your cat to riffle through trap doors, move balls around tracks, or dig through strategically-placed slots.

Teaser Toys

Teasers are a true classic when it comes to cat toys. If you like to be a bit more hands-on during play time, these simple little contraptions are a good bet for keeping both of you entertained. Generally made up of a slender plastic wand that dangles interesting objects – like feathers, bells, or catnip infused plushies – teasers can be used to satisfy your cat’s hunting instincts, do a bit of agility training, or encourage them to interact with the other cats in your house.

Squeaky Toys

All right, so maybe you associate squeaky toys with dogs… totally understandable. The truth is, though, that some cats find sound to be just as enticing as say… a treat… something shiny… your fingers typing at the keyboard. Unlike the dog version of a squeaky toy, the cat variety tends to be a small, battery-operated gizmo that mimics those oh-so-exciting sounds of nature, like birds chirping and mice squeaking. Although many of these toys do run on batteries, simpler versions make noise when your cat interacts with it. For instance, chirping loudly when smacked across the room.

The Best Interactive Cat Toys

Interactive Rotating Pounce Cat Toy

This unpredictable electronic chaser toy features a small, brightly-colored mouse that zooms around a sturdy track. The track itself has several small caves that your kitties can reach into to try to grab their pesky prey. What makes this toy special is that it comes with a variable setting – moving forwards and back, twitching, and hiding in caves – which may help keep your quick-witted cat entertained for long stretches at a time. The one downside to this toy is that can be a little noisy, which some cats may find off-putting.

Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree

Whether your cat needs mental stimulation or is simply a bit of a food gobbler, this unique contraption is a great choice. Though not technically a toy, this food tree will feel like a game, as it inspires curiosity, challenges him, and encourages him to think of the best possible method to get what he wants – namely, that lovely food you buy them! Though most cats will be riveted by this, some simply cannot be bothered and will just loudly complain until you feed them from a regular bowl. Keep that in mind before making a decision on this one!

Trixie Pet Products Brain Mover Toy

With four different games to choose from, this interactive cat toy is very likely to keep your kitty busy for a good long while. Although many cats will simply be interested in the strange new thing you just put on the floor, to encourage actual interaction, each piece of this puzzle comes with a small opening for storing treats. This toy comes with almost everything needed, except treats. Additionally, they provide a useful instructional booklet that gives some handy tricks and tips!

MOODY PET Fling-AMA-String Cat Toy

My cats love to reach under the bedroom door and try to steal things. How about yours? Whether your thieving little buddy is inside or outside the door, this is an excellent interactive toy to keep him busy. Simply hang this handy thing on a doorknob and it gets to work flinging a soft, brightly-colored cord around the room via a rotating conveyor belt that stops when your cat finally catches the string. This toy is pretty hands-off. However, if your cat is a chewer, it’s important to supervise play as the string may become detached.

Catty Whack Electronic Sound and Feather Action Cat Toy

What could be more disappointing than hearing a mouse, yet there being no mouse to hunt? This multifunctional toy solves that problem by providing both the aural allure of realistic mouse sounds and a quick-moving feather teaser that your kitty can hunt. Furthermore, this toy comes with a handy carpeted scratching area, and rubber feet to keep it from skidding around the room while kitty pounces!

Conclusion

Cats are brilliant creatures, but they are easily bored. The best interactive cat toys are the ones that your fickle friend will actually use. I hope that you’ve found some interesting possibilities that the two of you will enjoy time and again!